Hinge rod pivot



March 4, 1941. J SHAW HINGE ROD PIVOT Filed July 22, 1940 Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNIT-ED STATES PATENT QFFEQE HINGE ROD PIVOT Ind.

Application July 22, 1940, set-a1 Ne. 346,838

3 Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments and more particularly to an improved key mounting means for a wind instrument such as in a saxophone, clarinet, oboe or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved mounting means for mounting the key shafts on the saxophone, clarinet, oboe or other musical instrument, the mounting means being of such construction as. to reduce the friction between the key shaft and the supporting posts therefor.

At the present time, it is the practice in mounting key shafts to provide one of two types of mountings, one mounting includes a stationary hinge scr'ew which is extended through one supporting post and threaded into a second supporting post. This stationary hinge screw, however, frictionally contacts throughout its length with the inner surface of the tubular key shaft and thus forms a long frictional surface which retards the rocking of the tubular shaft after the instrument has been in use for a, short time. The second type of mounting includes pinions threaded through the supporting posts and provided with tapered ends engaging the ends of the shaft. It is, therefore, another object of this invention to eliminate the stationary shaft for the tubular key shafts and the tapered pinions by providing a pair of, shortened stub shafts which aremckable relative to the supporting posts but are fixed relative to the key shaft.

A further object of this invention is to provide a key shaft mounting means for a wind instrument whereby end play between the bearing posts and the shaft may be readily taken up.

Embodying the objects aforesaid and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary detail side elevation of a second instrument having a key shaft mounting means constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view partly broken away taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of pivot screw.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l8 designates a branch or body for a musical instrument such as a saxophone, clarinet, oboe or the like. The branch or body Ill is provided with asocketor tone hole II and a pad I3 is adapted to engage the socket II. The pad I3 is carried by a pad supporting arm. 12 which is fixed to an elongated key shaft :4. The key shaft [4 at the end thereof opposite from the supportingarm I2 is provided with a key 15 which is connected to the shaft 14 by means of a substantially L-shaped connecting member 16.

The shaft [4 is disposed between a pair of outstanding supporting posts I1 and I8 which are fixed to the exterior of the branch. or y Inorder to provide a means whereby the shaft M maybe rockably supported from the posts Il'and I8, I have provided a pair of stub shafts generally designated as I 9 and 20. The stub shaft I9 is formed with a cylindrical part 2| having a head 22 on its outer end which is formed with a kerf 23. A threaded reduced part 24 is. carried by the inner end of the cylindrical part 2| and is adapted to threadably engage in a threaded bore 25 formed in the adjacent end of the shaft M.

The shaft |9jis also formed with a reduced diameter cylindrical stud 26 extending inwardly from the threaded part 25 and the stud 26 engages ina reduced counterbore 21 of the shaft l4. The outer part 2| of the shaft I9 is rotatable in anopening or bearing 28 formed in the post I8'and when the shaft I9 is threaded into the adjacent end of the shaft [4, the shaft 19 may be locked against rotation relative to the shaft I4 by means of a set screw 29 which extends through the shaft I4 and engages the reduced stud 25.

The stub shaft 20 comprises a cylindrical body 30 formed with a head 3| having a kerf 32 therein and the body 30 is rotatable in an opening or bearing 33 formed in the post IT. The shaft 20 inwardly from the body 39 is formed with a threaded part 34 which threadably engages a threaded bore 35 formed in the adjacent end of the shaft M. A reduced stub shaft 36 extends axially inwardly from the threaded part 34 and engages loosely in the counterbore 21 of the shaft [4. A set screw 31 is threaded through the shaft l4 and engages the stub shaft 36 so as to lock the shaft 20 relative to the shaft It.

With a key mounting means as herein disclosed, the key shaft is provided with relatively short bearing surfaces which in the present in- Sit stance are formed in the supporting posts so that the key shaft will have relatively short frictional bearings adjacent each end thereof and at a point outwardly of each end. In addition if there should be any end play between the heads 22 and 3| with respect to the posts It and H, respectively, the stub shafts I9 and 20 may be threaded inwardly of the shaft I4 by loosening the set screws 29 and 31.

While I have shown only one key shaft and key on the branch or body [0, it will, of course, be understood that the branch or body I0 will be provided with the usual number of keys, the structure herein disclosed being merely illustrative of the manner of mounting the key shafts on the branch or body. The key shaft M at a point inwardly from one end thereof is provided with a right angularly disposed arm 38 which is'fixed to the shaft l4 and which is adapted to contact with the tone pipe ll] so as to limit the opening of the valve I3.

In order to reduce any wear which should occur in the posts I! and I8, the openings 33 and 23, respectively, may be provided with replaceable bushings or bearing sleeves 33 and 28 respectively. The bushings 33 and 28 may be formed of material different from the posts I! and I8 so as to resist wear.

In Figure 3 there is shown a modified form of pivot screw wherein a pivot screw designated generally as 20 is secured to a shaft M and is rotatable in a supporting post H. The pivot screw 20 is formed with a threaded part 24*, which threadably engages in a threaded bore 25 formed in the shaft M A reduced stud 26 is carried axially by the screw 211 at its inner end and engages in a reduced counter bore ll formed in the shaft M. The bores 25 and 2'! are sub stantially longer than the threaded part 24 and the stud 26 respectively, so that the screw 20 may be adjusted endwise of the shaft M to take up wear.

The outer portion of the screw 20 is formed with a frusto-conical bearing shaft or head Zi having a kerf 23* in its outer end. The bearing shaft or head 21* is rotatable in a frusto-conical bearing bore 28 formed in a supporting post W The screw Ml is adapted to be held in fixed adjusted position with respect to the shaft I l by means of a set screw 29 which is threaded through the shaft l4 and which engages the stud 26*.

By the use of the tapered bearing part Zi any wear between the post [8 and the bearing part 2| may be readily taken up by releasing the set screw 23 and threading the screw part 24 inwardly of the shaft [4.

What I claim is:

1. A means for rockably mounting a musical instrument key shaft between a pair of supporting posts, comprising a pair of stub shafts having a smooth bearing surface for engagement with a smooth opening formed in a post, a threaded part extending axially from said smooth bearing surface and having a diameter less than the diameter of said bearing surface, a reduced diameter cylindrical stud extending axially from said threaded part, said shaft having a threaded bore extending inwardly from an end thereof and a reduced diameter counterbore extending inward ly from said threaded bore, and a set screw threadably engaging through said key shaft and contacting with said stud to hold said stub shaft against rotation relative to said key shaft.

2. A means for rockably mounting a musical instrument key shaft between a pair of supporting posts, comprising a pair of stub shafts having a smooth cylindrical bearing surface for engagement with a smooth cylindrical opening formed in a post, a threaded part extending axially from said smooth bearing surface and having a diameter less than the diameter of said bearing surface, a reduced diameter cylindrical stud extending axially from said threaded part, said shaft having a threaded bore extending inwardly from an end thereof and a reduced diameter counterbore extending inwardly from said threaded bore, and a set screw threadably engaging through said key shaft and contacting with said stud to hold said stub shaft against rotation relative to said key shaft.

3. A means for rockably mounting a musical instrument key shaft between a pair of supporting posts, comprising a pair of stub shafts having a smooth tapered bearing surface for engagement with a smooth tapered opening formed in a post, a threaded part extending axially from said smooth bearing surface and having a diameter less than the diameter of said bearing surface, a reduced diameter cylindrical stud extending axially from said threaded part, said shaft having a threaded bore extending inwardly from an end thereof and a reduced diameter counterbore extending inwardly from said threaded bore, and a set screw threadably engaging through said key shaft and contacting with said stud to hold said stub shaft against rotation relative to said key shaft JOSEPH L. SHAW. 

